Alien in the Pool
by simplyVantastic
Summary: What happens when Lauren, a young lady living in suburban Tennessee, finds a seadweller in the public pool? Rated T for Eridan's possible lip
1. It's Hot Outside

It was hot. So hot that most people chose to stay inside. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. It was relatively still warm, even with the AC on. The sky outside was beginning to rust with twilight, and with twilight would come cool evening. A sigh escaped my lips as I thought of the ninety-three degree weather cooling even slightly, and a thought of an even cooler alternative to the heat crossed my mind. What if I went down to the pool?

With that, I was already changed and on my way out the door. My mother was asleep on the couch, however, so my footsteps had to be light. The sky outside was like a rainbow; splashes of red and orange glazing the edges of the horizon, fading into a pale purple and finally the cloudless blue that had cloaked the sky all day long. It was truly remarkable, a sight to remember. But I didn't really have time for that now. My feet hit the pavement with swift regard as I made my way up the street toward the Country Meadows public pool. The little old lady that lived down the street gave me a gentle wave as I passed, which I returned warmly. Most people don't really care for me much, so the fact she even waved made my day a little better.

This walk was killing my feet. I sighed as I passed through the gate to the pool, finding it empty. My dad worked here, so I was welcome 24/7, unlike the local visitors. I tossed my towel and lotion onto a nearby lawn chair, unsure why I even brought lotion in the first place. The pavement was still piping hot, even though the sky was darkening. I made my way to the edge of the pool, toward the shallow end. I was only here for a dip, rather than the usual let's-see-how-long-Lauren-can-hold-her-breath deal. With a soft motion, I swung my feet into the water, now seated on the edge of the pool. The cool, soothing touch of the water against my legs helped me forget about how hot it was, and soon I was into the pool completely. Floating on my back, I gently swayed my arms to move about, eyes closed.

But then I felt something brush against my back.

At first, I thought my hair had slid along my back. But, no. It's too short. I thought about someone else being here, but then I realized that when I came in, the pool was uninhabited. My heart stopped momentarily as I slid my purple goggles over my eyes and turned over. What I saw, I can barely explain.

Grey skin. Not grey enough to be a shark. No, it was more of a pale, nearly white grey. Fearless yellow eyes blazed up towards me with violet and dark grey irises. Fins protruded from either side of its head and… Candy corn colored horns in the shape of lightening bolts? All of the air left my lungs at once and I rapidly kicked for the surface of the water. Or at least, what I thought what the surface. I couldn't tell up from down. I felt a strong blow of concrete into my head, and I was unconscious.


	2. Who are You?

Powdery blue light found its way glowing through my eyelids as I regained consciousness. I didn't open my eyes just yet; I had a pounding headache. The soft noises of water splashing against the edge of the pool nearby calmed me down a bit, and I could feel a nylon-like cover over the lower half of my body. I could feel the rubber of the lawn chair below me, and I knew I had stayed overnight at the pool. Mom would kill me. But then, I had recollections of what had happened the night before. That creature underneath the water. The concrete slamming into my head. And now, I have a suspicious cover over my legs. I open my eyes cautiously, not wanting to excite my migraine too badly, to find a purple cape draped over my body. A purple cape? What is this, a Halloween costume? I pull it off and place it on the chair behind me.

And just then, I hear a voice.

"Hey, I don't think you should be getting' up just yet," the unknown called softly. The voice seemed to be coming from the pool. I jumped, of course, and tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. There was nobody at the surface of the water, thank God. At least nobody else saw that thing, to the best of my knowledge. "Who are you?" I say aloud, wary of the environment around me. I keep my eyes directed onto the pool, and what I see shocks me. The same exact lighting-bolt shaped horns poke through the water, and with that comes sleek, wet, jet-black hair that seems to have a tinge of violet towards the front. A gray face protrudes shortly after, framed with the same fins, showing me the same creature I saw last night. But, this time, strangely enough, it had on hipster glasses.

I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. I fall backwards onto the lawn chair and stare at it, unable to speak. "Hey, it's alright, I'm not gonna bite you or anyfin." The thing crawled up the ladder and out of the pool, water dripping off of its body. It had gills on either side of its torso, on which I imagined to be its rib cage. It seemed to be a humanoid, and male, from its appearance. 'He', if I could call it that, walked up and sat down on the concrete in front of me. I couldn't see the gills on his sides moving, so it must have also had fully functional lungs.

"Y-you never answered my question," I try to cough bravely, but my voice cracks and I sound like a little girl talking to the president, or something of the like.

"Who are you?" He shifts his legs and looks directly into my eyes, with the same burning yellow-and-violet that I saw last night.

"I'm Eridan Ampora," he says proudly, chest swelling a bit. "Royal blood from the planet Alternia." With that remark, however, he looks down at his toes.

"Wwell... Used to be from Alternia..." He mutters, seeming ashamed of himself.

"Used to be? What happened?" I inquire, and his eyes meet mine again. This time, they are filled with sadness.

"They sent me dowwn here on a reconnaissance mission... And left me to die." He mumbles, and I feel a wave of guilt splash over me.

"Who could do such a thing?" I say, with a grumble of anger.

"The Condescension," He declares, his eyes now on the brink of little purple tears. I feel terrible for him, and swing his cape over his shoulders.

"Hey, it'll be ok. You won't die out here, promise. Look, sorry for how I acted earlier." My voice offers sincere apology, which his accepts.

"It's alright. Better than a bunch of locals findin' me here and krillin' me," he says, and I have to agree.

"Follow me," I say, and I lead him into an abandoned tool shed nearby the pool. There are a bunch of pool cleaning tools that have since rusted, and a few abandoned pool toys, along with one old lawnchair that had one or two rubber straps missing.

"You'll have to live here for now, Eridan," I say, a twinge of guilt in my voice. He understands nonetheless, and hangs his cape over a hook on the wall.

"Better than staying in that cold pool all of the time," he mumbles, and sits down.

"I'll bring you some food soon, ok? But I have to get home now, my mother is going to freaking murder me..." I say, running out of the shed. A soft goodbye came from the makeshift homestead behind me. I hit the concrete and begin to run home. Maybe mom isn't up yet.


End file.
